Ships hatches

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for raising and lowering hatch covers into and out of sealing contact with a supporting structure round the hatch includes a series of cam elements upon which the supporting wheels of the hatches come to rest when the hatch covers are in position closing the hatches. The cam elements are linked together by cables or chains so as to be operable in unison by a motor, and can be moved in one direction to lower the hatches into sealing engagement with the supporting structure and in the other direction to raise the hatches out of sealing engagement with the supporting structure ready for hauling away to open the hatches. Where the hatch covers are hauled by a motor on one of the covers, the same motor may be used in conjunction with a disconnectable drive mechanism to drive the cables or chains.

United States Patent [1 1 Nagel et al.

[ 5] Oct. 9, 1973 [22] Filed:

[ SHIPS HATCHES [75] Inventors: Raymond Nagel, London; Norman Wharton, Coulsdon; Thomas Cockburn, Purley, all of England 7 [73] Assignee: Hatchway Dynamics Limited,

Croydon, Surrey, England Sept. 21, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 182,450

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 3,678,985 7/1972 Kummerman 160/188 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Stephen G. Kunin Attorney-Eric F. Wenderoth et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT An arrangement for raising and lowering hatch covers into and out of sealing contact with a supporting structure round the hatch includes a series of cam elements upon which the supporting wheels of the hatches come to rest when the hatch covers are in position closing the hatches. The cam elements are linked together by cables or chains so as to be operable in unison by a motor, and can be moved in one direction to lower the hatches into sealing engagement with the supporting structure and in the other direction to raise the hatches out of sealing engagement with the supporting structure ready for hauling away to openthe hatches. Where the hatch covers are hauled by a motor on one of the covers, the same motor may be used in conjunction with a disconnectable drive mechanism to drive the cables or chains.

8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBCT 9M5 3.763.814

sum 20F 5 DRIVE mm PATENTEUDET 91975 SHEET 3 OF 5 4 PATENTEB [JET 91375 SHEE 5 BF 5 Q m F SIIIPS IIATCIIES This invention relates to hatches such as are used on ships for example. The hatch covers on ships are relatively large and heavy and, the invention is more particularly concerned with means for raising and lowering the hatch .covers out of and into engagement with a supporting surface round the hatch.

According to this invention there is provided a hatch arrangement including a track on which a hatch cover is supported and guided for movement along the track into and out of a hatch-closing position above a hatchway, and means for lowering and raising the hatch cover, when in said hatch-closing position, into and out of sealing engagement with sealing surfaces at the sides of the hatchway which means comprises a plurality of cam elements in which the hatch cover rests out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces when brought into said hatchclosing position, the cam elements being grouped into at least one set, and flexible tie means coupling the cam elements of each such set together for movement to and fro in unison into the first-mentioned position to support the hatch covers out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces and into a second position in which the cam elements permit the hatch cover to come into sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces.

The cam elements are thus coupled together in a train by means of flexible tie elements, and the ends of this train may be connected to a motor or to respective motors for moving the cam elements into their first and second positions.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way .of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a fragmentary side elevation of part of the coaming and of a hatch cover of a first arrangement according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 but showing the parts in different relative positions, 4 I

FIG. 3 is a sectional end elevation on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a plan on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail elevation and plan views respectively and show the arrangement and operation of the cam elements, I

, FIG. 7 shows the arrangement of the cable interconnecting the cam elements,

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation showing part of the coaming of a hatch embodying this invention,

FIG. '9 is a plan corresponding to FIG. 8, but shows the cam in a different position,

FIG. I0 is a sectional end view on the line 10 l!)v of FIG. 8,

FIG. 11 shows an operating jack mounted on the .coaming,and FIG. 12 is a view .in the direction of arrow 1; in FIG. 11.

In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 7 the invention is applied to a hatch arrangement in which the hatch extends along the length of the ship and has along its sides coamings 10 which respectively support the sides of two trains of hatch covers. Each train comprises a series of hatch covers linked or hinged together end-to-end, and the two trains respectively cover the forward and stern halves of the length of the hatchway. Each train is driven by a motor mounted in the hatch cover at the end nearest theother train. When the hatch covers are to be stowed the trains are driven in opposite directions and are stowed in any convenient manner beyond the respective ends of the hatchway.

FIG. I shows part of the end or driving hatch cover 11 in its correct position covering the hatchway but not forming a seal with the coaming at the sides of the hatchway. Each hatch cover is mounted on four or more rollers 12 or other form of wheels which run along a track provided by the top of the coaming. Rails 13 are secured to the coaming 10 along each side of the hatchway and the driving hatch cover 11 has at opposite sides thereof in addition to roller 12 a pair of flanged rollers 14, which roll on the rails 13, and a pair of sprocket wheels 15 which engage a pin rack formed by pins 16 projecting laterally from the outer sides of the rails 13. These sprockets are secured coaxially with the rollers 14 on shafts l7 driven by respective reversible electric motors (not shown) mounted in the hatch cover. Thus the motors'drive the sprockets which haul the driving hatch cover along the coamings by engagement withthe pins 16.

When the hatch covers have been run into their positions closing the hatchway, the covers have then to be lowered so that their bottom edges form a seal with the coaming, and a mechanism is provided, which will now be described, for enabling all the hatch covers to be lowered simultaneously for this purpose.

When each hatch cover is in its closing position each of its rollers is disposed over a slot 20 in the coaming (see FIGS. 5 and 6) and the slots are of such proportions as to enable the rollers to be lowered into them sufficiently far for the hatch cover to become supported on and form a seal with the coaming. The slot has end portions 22, 23 which are too narrow to accommodate the axial width of the roller 12. A cam element in the form of a wedge 24 is supported by its lower edge on a fixed support 240 below the slot and is slidable lengthwise of the slot. The upperedge of the wedge has an inclined portion 25 and a horizontal portion 26 which is disposed flush with the upper surface of the coaming. During movement of the hatch covers along the hatch the wedges are disposed with their horizontal portions 26 in the wide parts of the slot so that the rollers 12 cannot drop into the slots. When the hatch covers are to be lowered into sealing engagement with the coaming, the wedges are slid to move the horizontal portions 26 into the narrow end portions 22 of the slots enabling the hatch covers to be lowered under gravity on their rollers, the rollers moving downward into the wide part of the slot as the inclined portions 25 of the wedges move ,beneath them.

The wedges 24 along each side of the hatches are coupled together by cable 27 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7. At opposite ends of the hatchway the cable 27 extends round pulleys 30, 31 which are rotatably mounted near or beyond the ends of the coaming and the ends of the return runs of the cable extend part way round and are secured in grooves in respective pulleys 32, 33. Pulleys 32, 33 are secured on a shaft 34 which is rotatably mounted in fixed brackets 35 below the coaming shelf 10a. Shaft 34 forms the output shaft of a drive unit 36 which may be a reduction gear unit, and the input shaft of which carries a pin-wheel 37 having a ring of axially-extending pins 38. The unit 36 is pivotable about the axis of the shaft 34 into the positions in which it is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 2, the pinwheel 37 is in a position to mesh with the sprocket 15, being held in this position by a pin 360 which is engaged in aligned holes in a lug 39 on the unit 36 and a corresponding fixed bracket (not shown) secured to the coaming. In FIG. 1 the pin is shown removed from lug 39 and is engaged in a hole in a slide box 40 secured to the coaming below the rail 13. Immediately above the slide box a section 41 of the rail 13 is provided which is slidable vertically downward into the slide box when the pin 38 is removed. The rail section 41 carries two pins 16.

During the movement of the hatch covers along the hatchway the unit 36 and rail section 41 are disposed in the position shown in FIG. 1. When the driving hatch cover 11 reaches its end position in which all the hatch covers are in a closing position, the flanged rollers 14 at opposite ends of the cover 11 on the rail sections 41 and the rollers 13 of all the hatch covers are supported above the wide parts of the slots 20 on the horizontal portions 26 of the wedges as previously described. To seal the hatch covers, the pins 38 are removed from the slide boxes 40, so that the rail sections 41 drop into the slide boxes, and the units 36 at opposite sides of the hatch cover 11 are swung upwards and secured by the pins as shown in FIG. 2. The sprockets 15 are now no longer in mesh with the pins 16 on rail 13 but are instead in mesh with the pin-wheel 37. Rotation of the driving motor of the hatch cover 11 in the appropriate direction causes the pulleys 32, 33 to be driven to move the cable and wedges to lower the rollers 12 into the slots in the coaming so that all the hatch covers rest on and form a seal with the coamings. The reverse procedure is carried out when the hatch covers are to be stowed.

The hatch covers may be provided with suitable lateral guidance during their opening and closing movement if necessary, for example by providing the hatch covers with rollers to engage the inner faces of rails 13.

The cables are preferably pre-stretched and incorporate turn-buckles as necessary to enable the lengths of the parts of the cable to be adjusted to position the wedges. Chain or any other suitable form of flexible tie can be employed instead of cable if desired.

It will be understood that if the wedges of both trains of covers are coupled together by flexible tie means, the motors of one of the driving hatch covers can operate the wedges for the hatch covers of both of the trains.

It will also be understood that the invention is applicable to any hatch arrangement where hatch covers are first traversed into a hatch-closing position and then moved vertically to seal the hatches. Even where, as on some ships, the hatch covers are traversed laterally to opposite sides of the ship to open the hatches, cam elements for some or all of the hatch covers can be operated by cables or other flexible ties driven by one or more driving motors of one of the hatch covers. Also, by using guide pulleys to guide the flexible tie means along the ends of a hatch and by appropriate disposition of the wedges and slots, the wedges along both sides of the latches can be coupled together in a single set for simultaneous movement by a driving motor. Similar arrangements can in fact be employed to couple together the wedges of more complex arrangements of hatches.

One or more separate motors can of course be used to operate the cables or other flexible ties but it is preferred for reasons of economy to use the driving motors of the driving hatch covers. However, the hatch covers are not always provided with built-in motors, and it may for this or other reasons be necessary to employ an alternative source of power such as one or more jacks or rams. Such an arrangement will now be described.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, the invention is applied to a hatch arrangement in which, as before, the hatch extends along the length of the ship and has along its sides coamings 10 which respectively support the sides of two trains of hatch covers. Each train comprises a series of hatch covers which are linked or hinged together end-to-end and respectively cover the forward and stern halves of the length of the hatchway. In this construction however, each train is drawn by a cable attached to the hatch cover at the end nearest the other train. When the hatch covers are to be stowed the trains are drawn in opposite directions and are stowed in any convenient manner beyond the respective ends of the hatchway, the cable being for example hauled by a derrick or a winch.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, when each hatch cover (not shown) is in its closing position each of its supporting rollers 112 is disposed over a slot 113 in the top of the coaming l0 and the slots have part 114 of their length of such proportions as to enable the rollers to be lowered into them sufficiently far for the hatch cover to become supported on and form a seal with the coaming. Each slot has an end portion 115 which is too narrow to accommodate the axial width of the roller 112. A cam 117 formed from flat plate is disposed for sliding movement along the slot and is supported on two pins 118 which project on both sides of the cam and rest on angle members 1 19 secured to the underside of the top of the coaming. The upper edge of the cam has an inclined portion 121 leading to a horizontal dwell portion 122. Movement of the cam along the slot raises and lowers the roller as in the previously described arrangement.

The cams 117 are linked together by flexible ties in the form of cables 124 which are pivotally attached to the elements by connectors 125 and clevis pins 126.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 and 12, the cable at each end of the train of cables 124 and connectors 125 along each side of the hatchway is led round a pulley 127 and thence to a pivotal anchorage 128 on the coaming. The pulley is carried in a bracket 129 mounted on the moving element 130 of a jack 131 which is secured on a bracket 10a on the coaming. The jacks 131 are in this instance manually operable jacks of a pattern permitting the jack to be operated so that the element 130 can be returned from its extended position by pressure applied to the element. Thus the cams at one side of the hatchway can be moved lengthwise of the hatch to raise the hatch covers by operation of the jack at one end of that side of the hatchway whilst the associated jack at the other end is set to allow it to contract. To lower the same side of hatch covers into sealing contact with the coaming the operation of the pair of jacks is reversed..

The other sides of the hatch covers are similarly raised and lowered by the pair of jacks at that side of the hatchway.

It will be understood that the above jack arrangement is by no means the only suitable arrangement. For example, a double-acting jack can be positioned at one end of the coaming and the jack at the other end of the coaming replaced by a pulley, the cable being led round the pulley and back to the jack at the opposite end. The ends of the cable are connected to the moving elements of the jack in such a manner that operation of the jack in its two senses respectively causes the cables and earns to be moved to raise and lower the hatch covers.

in another arrangement the cables along both sides of the hatchway may be connected together by a cable extending along one end of the hatchway, the ends of the train of cables being connected to a double-acting jack as described in the preceding paragraph or to respective jacks as in the illustrated arrangement. It will be understood that the cams along the two sides of the hatchway must be appropriately disposed bearing in mind that operation of the jack or jacks will cause the lengths of cable at the opposite side of the hatchway to move in opposite directions to each other.

Power-operated jacks or other forms of motor may of course be employed instead of manually operated jacks.

It will also be clear that the arrangements described above are equally applicable to the operation of a single hatch cover, and to the operation of a plurality of hatch covers which are movable independently of each other into and out of their positions covering the respective hatchways.

We claim:

l. A hatch arrangement including a fixed track, a wheeled hatch cover supported on and guided for movement along the track into and out of a hatchclosing position above a hatchway, and means for lowering and raising the hatch cover, when in said hatchclosing position, into and out of sealing engagement with sealing surfaces at the sides of the hatchway which means comprises a plurality of cam elements slidable lengthwise of the fixed track which cam elements are disposed in slots in the fixed track, said wheels resting on the elements and supporting the hatch cover out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces when the hatch cover is brought into said hatch-closing position, the cam elements being grouped into at least one set, and flexible tie means coupling the cam elements of each such set together for movement to and fro in unison into the first-mentioned position to support the hatch cover out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces and into a second position in which the cam elements permit the wheels to lower into said slots whereby the hatch cover comes into sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces.

2. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a coaming provides said track and the cover is carried on wheels on the track, said coaming having said slots therein which are disposed where the wheels rest when the cover is in its hatch-closing position and.

the dimensions of which will permit the wheels to drop into the slot, each slot extending lengthwise of the track and having a narrow lengthwise extension which is too narrow to receive the wheel, the cam elements being disposed in the slots and having a horizontal dwell portion and an inclined portion joining the dwell portion, the cam element being supported for movement lengthwise of the track between the first position in which the dwell portion is disposed in the slot and prevents the wheel from dropping into the slot and said second position in which the inclined portion is disposed in the slot, whereby the wheel is lowered into the slot, and the dwell portion is disposed in the slot extension.

3. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of hatch covers, and cam elements for raising and lowering each hatch cover, when in a hatch-closing position, into and out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces.

4. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a motor connected to move the'cam elements of each set in unison.

5. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hatch cover carries a motor for driving the hatch cover along the track, and wherein there are provided means for disconnecting the motor from operative drive connection with the cover when the cover is in a hatch-closing position and means for connecting the motor to move the cam elements into their first and second positions.

6. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for connecting the motor to move the cam elements into their first and second positions comprises a unit carrying at least one pulley round which the flexible tie means for a said set of cam elements extends and a driving wheel which is coupled to drive the pulley, a fixed support on which the unit is pivotably mounted for swivelling about the axis of the pulley into and'out of a position in which the driving wheel is coupled to be driven by the motor, and releasable means for locking the unit in said position.

7. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein a fixed rack extends along the track and a pinion driven by the motor meshes with the rack to drive the cover, said means for disconnecting the motor for operative drive connection with the cover comprising a length of the rack which is in mesh with the pinion when the cover is in its hatch-closing position, said length of the rack being movable to become disengaged from the pinion.

8. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fixed slide box in which said length of the rack is slidably mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the pinion. 

1. A hatch arrangement including a fixed track, a wheeled hatch cover supported on and guided for movement along the track into and out of a hatch-closing position above a hatchway, and means for lowering and raising the hatch cover, when in said hatchclosing position, into and out of sealing engagement with sealing surfaces at the sides of the hatchway which means comprises a plurality of cam elements slidable lengthwise of the fixed track which cam elements are disposed in slots in the fixed track, said wheels resting on the elements and supporting the hatch cover out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces when the hatch cover is brought into said hatch-closing position, the cam elements being grouped into at least one set, and flexible tie means coupling the cam elements of each such set together for movement to and fro in unison into the first-mentioned position to support the hatch cover out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces and into a second position in which the cam elements permit the wheels to lower into said slots whereby the hatch cover comes into sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces.
 2. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a coaming provides said track and the cover is carried on wheels on the track, said coaming having said slots therein which are disposed where the wheels rest when the cover is in its hatch-closing position and the dimensions of which will permit the wheels to drop into the slot, each slot extending lengthwise of the track and having a narrow lengthwise extension which is too narrow to receive the wheel, the cam elements being disposed in the slots and having a horizontal dwell portion and an inclined portion joining the dwell portion, the cam element being supported for movement lengthwise of the track between the first position in which the dwell portion is disposed in the slot and prevents the wheel from dropping into the slot and said second position in which the inclined portion is disposed in the slot, whereby the wheel is lowered into the slot, and the dwell portion is disposed in the slot extension.
 3. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of hatch covers, and cam elements for raising and lowering each hatch cover, when in a hatch-closing position, into and out of sealing engagement with said sealing surfaces.
 4. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a motor connected to move the cam elements of each set in unison.
 5. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hatch cover carries a motor for driving the hatch cover along the track, and wherein there are provided means for disconnecting the motor from operative drive connection with the cover when the cover is in a hatch-closing position and means for connecting the motor to move the cam elements into their first and second positions.
 6. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for connecting the motor to move the cam elements into their first and second positions comprises a unit carrying at least one pulley round which the flexible tie means for a said set of cam elements extends and a driving wheel which is coupled to drive the pulley, a fixed support on which the unit is pivotably mounted for swivelling about the axis of the pulley into and out of a position in which the driving wheel is coupled to be driven by the motor, and releasable means for locking the unit in said position.
 7. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein a fixed rack extends along the track and a pinion driven by the motor meshes with the rack to drive the cover, said means for disconnecting the motor for operative drive connection with the cover comprising a length of the rack which is in mesh with the pinion when the cover is in its hatch-closing position, said length of the rack being movable to become disengaged from the pinion.
 8. A hatch arrangement as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fixed slide box in which said length of the rack is slidably mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the pinion. 